Cooler and humidifier



Sept. 10, 1929. R, D MATTESQN 1,727,998

COOLER AND HUMIDIFIER Filed June 30, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l /7 /f ha j .Iu vul, lll" W" "Mig a l| l il f 7 a 1 l l Sept. 10, 1929. R D, MATTESON1,727,998

COOLER AND HUMIDIFIER Filed June 50, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuentoaPatented Sept. 10, 1 929f UNITED STA RALPH D. MATTESON, OF EAGLE, IDAHO.

COOLER AND Application led .Tune 30,

vThis invention .relates to an improved cooler and humidifier adapted tobe used for cooling and moistening the air in a room, receptacle or thelike.

An object of the present invention is to provide a small and compacthumidifier that is equipped with efficient moisture supplying means, thewetted surface area of which is relatively great. E

Another object is to provide an improved humidifier adapted for use inconjunction with a small portable electric fan for causing the air in aroom, receptacle or the like to ass over a means for supplying suficientmoisture to said air to maintaln it in a cool and humid condition.

Still another object is to provide an efficient and inexpensivehumidifier of simple construction that requires a minimum amount ofattention to maintain it in an operative condition.

Other objects are to provide for ready and economical manufacture,assembly and repair, and to provide a construction which 1s exceedinglydurable and easily handled.

The invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement ofparts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the ac companyingdrawings and claimed.

f In the drawings:

Figure l is a sideelevational view of a cooler and humidifier embodyingthe present invention and having an electric fan operatively associatedtherewith.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section on line 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section online 3-3 of Figure 2. v

Figure l is a perspective view of one of -the wick elements of themoisture supplying unit or battery, partly broken away and 1n section. i

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the Water pan; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the hood or cover for the moisturesupplying unit or battery, drawn on a smaller scale.

Briefly described, my improved cooler and humidifier consists of a unitin the form of a plurality of upright metal plates 5 rigidly air incirculating between the HUMIDIFIER.

1928. Serial N0. 289,474.

connected in spaced parallel relation to provlde a plurality of spacesor passageways therebetween through which air circulates, and means forsupplying moisture to the air that circulates through said spaces orpassageways. The moisture supplying means preferably consist of suitable,sheets of fabric 6 secured on and covering both surfaces of theintermediate plates5 and the inner surfaces of the outer plates 5 so asto be contacted 6o by the air which circulates through ,the spaces orpassageways between the plates, and means for supplying water to saidsheets of fabric, preferably by capillary attraction. The meanspreferably employed for supplying 0355A moistureto the fabric 6preferably consists of ashallow Water pan 7 in which the lower portionof the moisture supplying unit or battery is adapted to be removablypositioned so as to submerge the lower portions of the sheets of fabric6 in the Water contained in the pan 7, whereby said sheets of fabric arekept in a wetted condition as the moisture evaporates or is absorbedtherefrom by the lates. Obviously, when the air is rapidly circulatedbetween the plates, a correspondingly rapid evaporation of water takesplace with a consequent absorption of'heat from the plates, whereby thehumidified air einer ing from 8o between the plates will be apprecia lycooled or lowered in temperature. r

Freni the above it will be seen that the moisture supplying unitconsists of a plurality of wick elements each consisting in a plate 5and its fabric covering sheet 6. The metallic plates 5 are provided withcorner perforations or openings 8 through which bolts 9 are passedhaving nuts 10 applied to the ends thereof to maintain the platesrigidly con- 9o nected, suitable spacing sleeves V1l being placed uponthe bolts 9' between adjacent plates uto maintain them in the requiredspaced parallel relation. In this way, a very simple and durablemoisture supplying unit is provided which may be readily andeconomically manufactured and assembled or taken apart for cleaning orrepair. As shown, the sheets ofsfabric 6 are stretched tightly over thesurfaces of the plates 5 and secured in 100 lace thereon by means ofmetallic marginal indinv strips 12 which are disposed to embrace t e endand top edges of the plates 5 and grip the margins of the sheet offabric 6 asillustrated in'Figures 2 and 4. These binding strips 12 areof U-shape in section and preferably of resilient form so that they maybe forcibly applied or removed tofacilitate renewal of the sheets offabric 6. However, the binding strips 12 may be' flexible and adapted tobe tightly clinched in place by the use of any suitable tool if founddesirable. A single strip of cloth may be employed for covering bothfaces of the intermediate plate 5, in which case the cloth 'is passedaround the lower edge of the plate as illustrated in Figure 4.

The unit above described is adapted to be set in the pan 7 so as to restupon the bottom thereof, and in order that the unit may be "maintainedcentered in this pan, the latter is vpreferably /provided with acontinuous. inwardly directed top flange 13 of sufficient width as todefine an opening in the top of the pan of just sufficient size topermit the introduction of the lower portion of the moisture supplyingunit therethrough, although permitting removal of thelatter withoutmaterial liability of scratching or marring the exposed surfaces oftheouter metallic plates 5,

The circulation of air between the plates or wick elements may beeffected by I iatural circulation or through the medium of forced draft.In the latter event, the cooler and humidiier is preferably 'used inconjunction with an ordinary portable electric fan 14, the diameter ofthe impeller of which preferably equals the width of the moisturesupplying unit or the distancebetween the outer plates of said unit.When a larger fan is employed, the number of wick elements or plates maybe increased, and a cover or hood employed as shown in Figures' 1 to 3inclusive and 6, to accommodate for the increase in the diameter of thefan impeller over the height of the plates or wick elements. As shown,this cover or hood preferably consists of an inverted U- shaped sheetmetal channel member of gradually decreasing depth `from one end to theother, and composed of a slanting top Wall 16 and tapering vertical sidewalls 17 adaptedy to rest at their lower edges on the heads of the bolts9 and on the nuts 10 at the outer sides of the outer ones of the plates5 of the moisture supplying unit. A cross bar 18 is preferably securedin the deeper end of the hood so as to connect the side plates 17thereof near the lower edges of said side plates or walls 17, inposition to extend across and rest upon the upper edges of the wickelements or plates of the moisture supplying unit as shown. Theshallower end of the hood or cover is clamped upon the adjacent end ofthe mois- -v ture supplying unit by means of an inverted U-shapedclamping strap 19 applied to the ladjacent'connecting bolt 9 of saidmoisture supplying unit so'as to embrace said sh allower end of thehood. In'this way the cover or v hood is firmly held in place so thatits sloping top wall 16 will divert the current of air from the upperportion of the fan impeller downwardlyinto the spaces or passageways between the battery of plates or wick elements,

it being understood that the fan is positioned adjacent the deeper orlarger end of the hood or cover. When the fan is in operation, air willbe forced through the spaces between the plates 5,v entering said spacesat one end of the moisture suppl ing unit and emerging therefrom at theot er end of said unit in a cool and humid condition. Vhenever it isnecessar to replenish the supply of water in the pan the moisturesupplying unit or bat- V tery may readil be removed to permit this to beconvenient y done.

A humidifier of the above construction may be used to keep the air in abuilding, room or receptacle in a humid conditiomfand to cool such airWithout any care or attention on the part of an operator, except to fillthe pan 7 occasionally. F urthermore,the cooler and humidifier is smallandcompact so that it may be transported easily from place to place andwill take up very little space. On the other hand, although the deviceis small, it has a high degree of efficiency owing to the relativelygreat area of moisture supplying surface provided by the sheets offabric 6. The device may be further manufactured at a low cost and thefabric that supplies the Imoisture to the air can be quicklyl removedand cleaned.

Minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is: 1. Ina cooler and humidifier, a water pan, amoisture supplying unit comprising a series of upright wick elementsembodying cloth covered metallic plates, said plates and the clothcovering therefor being provided with registering o enings in therespective corners thereof, e ongated bolts extending through therespective corner openings, spacingl sleeves arranged on the boltsbetween the adjacent lates for maintaining the same in spaced re ation,nuts threaded on the outer .ing sleeves arranged on the bolts throughthe respective corner openin s, spacetween the adjacent plates formaintaining the same in space relation, nuts threaded on the outer endsof the bolts to secure the parts in assembled relation, the lower endportions of the cloth covered plates being adapted to rest in the wateran, said spaced cloth covered plates providing air circulating assagestherebetween, an inverted channe -shaped hood includin a sloping topwall and tapered side wal s for dispos1tion above the moisture supplyingunit, the lower edges of the side walls resting upon the respectivepairs of nuts, a cross bar secured in the deeper end of the hood forrest across the upper edges of the cloth covered plates, and an invertedU-shaped clampin strap extending across the shallower end o the hood,the free ends of the arms of said strap member being connected to therespective ends of the adjacent bolt.

3. A cooler and humidifier comprising an open top water pan, a pluralityof spaced vertical plates having their lower ends removably positionedin and resting on the bottom of said Water pan, said plates projectingupwardly from said water pan to provide horizontal open-ended airpassages between the projecting upper portlons thereof, absorbentcovermgs on said plates for supplying moisture from said pan to the airflowin through said assages, and a cover mounted directly over t e topsof said plates to prevent upward escape of the air from said passagesand thereby cause flow of the air horizontally entirely through saidpassages for being thoroughly cooled and humidified.

In testimony whereof I -aiix m signature.

RALPH D. MA TESON.

